Professional Training of Future Social Workers for R&D Activities

Abstract

The article describes the conditions, forms, and methods of optimizing research activities of future social workers in the Ukrainian society in unstable times. It aims to offer a methodical model to develop research skills in future social workers and experimentally verify the system of training them for research activities. The research hypothesis is that one can discover more effective forms and methods of research activities due to the reasonable changes in educational conditions and the consideration of current trends in social work, which will lead to qualitative and quantitative results. Research methods are theoretical (generalization, comparison, pedagogical modelling) and practical (diagnostics, formation). The formative stage of the research provided a logical sequence of three stages: initial (1-2 courses); basic (3-4 courses); professional (1-2 courses of master's level). Experimental diagnostics involved the use of standardized methods, questionnaires, tests, expert evaluation. The total number of EG students was 118 people, the total number of CG students - 121. The analysis of the results shows that at the end of the experiment the level of readiness of future social workers for R&D in the experimental sample is much higher than in the control. The number of students with a high level of readiness for R&D in the experimental sample increased by 16.9% and is 24.6% (in the control sample this figure is 13.2%). The effectiveness of the developed system of professional training of future social workers for R&D is ensured by the implementation of certain pedagogical conditions: the formation of motivation for R&D; involvement of first-year students; providing research content of disciplines of fundamental, professional and practical training of social workers; use of differentiated learning technology in the process of research training of masters of social work; use of ICT (information and communication technologies).